The Love Within
by khrVariaLover
Summary: A one-shot NejiHina fanfic and a better edited version than the one in my DA profile (Sayu-Hatake).


The Hyuuga heir finally turned three. The whole Hyuuga clan celebrated her coming of age despite of the treaty celebration going on in Konoha Village at the same time. There stood a young boy barely older than the Hyuuga heir in the branch family of the clan. Standing across him, shy little Hyuuga Hinata, heir to the clan, was hiding behind her father.

"Wow. That must be her. She's so cute," the boy thought to himself.

He tug at his father's sleeves and whisper, "Father. Isn't she cute?"

"Neji, my son..." he sighed with a sorrowful-like look on his face. He then turns to the Head, his older twin brother. "Now Brother, let's get this ceremony started for Hinata."

"Yes. I agree Brother," replied the Head.

As the clan celebrated Hinata's coming of age throughout the day, Neji couldn't keep his eyes off the heiress. Even though he did not know at that moment, Neji has fallen in love with Hinata. As the years passed, both Hyuuga children entered the ninja academy. Neji graduated top of his class with an arrogant and stubborn prideful attitude. A year later, Hinata graduated along side with the other Rookie 9: Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, Kiba, Shino, Ino, Choji, and Shikamaru.

* * *

The Chuunin exams is approaching fast and all the Rookie 9 been recommended by sensei to enter.

"Come on Hinata. Keep it up and you'll be fine in the Chuunin Exam," encouraged Kurenai-sensei.

"That's right, Hinata! You're doing an awesome job!" exclaimed Kiba.

"...Heh," Shino smiled behind his jacket collar.

"Th-thank y-you everyone," Hinata said nervously. "I'll do my best."

"That's the spirit Hinata!" Kiba said happily.

"Arf! Arf!" Akamaru barked.

Team 8 was able to pass the first two stages of the exam with flying colors, but was shocked with 18 other candidates that they must do a preliminary round before entering the third stage in a month. Hinata watched her teammates fight in their matches. After Kiba's match with Naruto, Hinata ran to her teammate.

"Kiba! I have some ointment for you."

"Hinata, don't worry about me. I'll be fine. You just worry about yourself. Remember, you haven't fought yet."

Hinata looked at him with a worried look.

"Look Hinata. If you get that Gaara person or that Neji guy, forfeit the match. You're no match to them," Kiba warned. "_Oh no_..."

Hinata turns toward the board that matches the fight. _Hyuuga Neji vs. Hyuuga Hinata._ Hinata gulps with shock and a horrified look on her face. Kiba grabbed one of Hinata's arms before the medics took him away.

"Please, Hinata. Forfeit right away. I don't want you to get hurt."

"..."

The medics took Kiba away and Hinata went to face Neji.

"Hinata-sama, forfeit now or else this match going to end badly for you. Even through you are from the main branch, you are weak," Neji smirk. _And I don't want to hurt you because I love you secer ince that day at your third birthday..._

"Grrr... Don't take that crap from him, Hinata! I know you're better than he thinks!" Naruto yelled.

"Thank you Naruto-kun," Hinata muttered. "I still want to fight you Neji-nii-san. We may never know what may happen until I try!"

"Humph. Big words for a loser. As soon as we matched for this fight, you were destined to fail... to lose."

"Maybe so, but I still have to try and believe in myself. That's my nindo, my ninja way."

And so their match begins. Both Hyuugas nearly matched, but Neji was taking a huge advantage over Hinata. Neji tried to hold back, not wanting to hurt Hinata, to kill her. However, his pride, arrogance, and stubbornness took over. Eventually, Neji won the match, nearly killing Hinata as a result.

"Hinata-sama... I'm sorry..." Neji thought to himself sadly, holding back his tears back.

* * *

A month later, after the devastating invasion made by Orochimaru and his men, Neji visited Hinata on the morning of the Third Hokage's funeral.

"Oh, Neji-nii-san. What brings you here?" Hinata asked.

"Ummm... Hinata-sama... I, ah..." Neji stumbled, trying to find the right words to say.

"Hmmm?" Hinata smiled with curiosity in her face, causing Neji to blush.

"I'm sorry!" Neji bowed, startling Hinata.

"For what?"

"During the prelims last month, I nearly killed you," Neji explained.

"Oh," Hinata frowned a little. "Don't worry about it. Father told me why you acted the way you did. I don't blame you after what happened to your father."

"Then, we're okay... I-I-I mean between us?" Neji asked nervously.

"Of course!" Hinata's smile brightens.

"Before we leave for the funeral, there's one more thing I want to say to you Hinata-sama."

"What is it?" Hinata tilted her head to the side a bit, confused.

"I...I'm in love with you, Hinata-sama!" Neji blurted out.

"Wh-what?" Hinata said, shocked.

"I've have since we first met each other on your third birthday. I-I've just didn't realized it until I noticed you have set your eyes on someone. That kid, Uzumaki Naruto. I just... I just thought I tell you how I feel about you before it was too late."

"Neji-nii-san, I-I-I don't know wh-"

Neji cut her off with a kiss. Finally, Neji broke the long, lustful, yet sweet kiss.

"N-Neji-nii-san..." Hinata said, breathless.

"You don't have to say anything. I thought you should know. I know you don't feel the same way about me-"

"That's not true."

"Huh?"

Neji looked up at Hinata. Her eyes look different somehow. It's lovelier than ever, beautiful. Her facial feature soft, yet a bit unreadable which is quite usual, even for him. Suddenly Hinata pulled Neji into a kiss that lasted longer and sweeter than the one Neji given.

"Somehow, I knew for a while and I'm happy that you feel the same way about me," Hinata said. "I didn't really think you'll love someone like me, but since the Chuunin exams started, I believe I started to understand you little by little."

Neji looked down on the floor, closed his eyes, and smiled.

"Hinata-sama, do you want to come to the funeral with me?" Neji said, breaking the silence.

"Hai!" Hinata said as she fling her arms around Neji's neck, surprising him a little.

Neji return her hug and smiled. _Thank you Hinata-sama for accepting me, loving me, and understanding me._

**—****End—**

* * *

_Author's note: I found a lot of grammical issues here while I was looking over this O_O But I manage to correct most of them, so there's shouldn't be a lot of issues in that department. Anyways, this story is completely one-shot and in beta form. So at the moment, I'm not sure if I'm going to make a full story out of it and I know the title sounds so cheesy and stupid. I couldn't think of a good title for this fic ^^;; If you want me to, I'll write a full and better story out of this piece of crap of a one-shot._


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